Steering of target poles in an electrode array in a pulse generator system

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executable on an external device external to an implantable stimulator device comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) for programming the implantable stimulator device, wherein the implantable stimulator device comprises a plurality of electrodes configured to contact a patient's tissue, the plurality of electrodes comprising an electrode array, wherein the instructions comprise a steering algorithm, wherein the steering algorithm when executed is configured to:

• define, via the GUI of the external device, a plurality of target poles in the electrode array, wherein the plurality of target poles are formed by providing stimulation at one or more of the electrodes;
• and
• receive, via the GUI of the external device, a sequence of inputs to steer the plurality of target poles within the electrode array by changing the one or more electrodes that provide the stimulation;
• wherein if one of the inputs steers the target poles in a direction toward a boundary of the electrode array such that a first of the target poles arrives at the boundary, and wherein if a next of the inputs in the sequence steers the target poles a distance amount further in the direction,
• keep the first target pole at the boundary and automatically reduce an amplitude of the first target pole, and
• steer all other of the target poles different from the first target pole by the distance amount in the direction.